Buffalo Cauliflower Potato Chowder
CHOWDER. I love chowder, and this one is absolutely amazing.
Comforting, creamy, spicy and healthy? Sounds too good to be true. Well, it’s not! Whether you are lactose intolerant, or just trying to avoid dairy for health reasons, you’ve found the holy grail of creaminess: cashews. Thick, rich, and full of flavor! When you blend soaked cashews, you create a cashew cream that can be used to replace dairy in almost all your favorite comfort foods.
Guaranteed to please.
This dish is one big bowl of nutritious comfort. Celery, carrots, cauliflower and potatoes all make an appearance, bringing together vitamins, minerals, and fiber combined with the healthy fats from the blended cashews. This soup is decadent and creamy, yet light. Throw some Frank’s red hot sauce on top and grab some chunks of baguette for dipping and you have yourself a tasty, warming meal.
This chowder packs a distinctive wallop… buffalo hot sauce style.
Buffalo Cauliflower Potato Chowder
*Check it out! This recipe was recently featured in Bangor Daily News!
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 medium stalks celery, diced
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cups cauliflower florets, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 medium potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 tablespoons Frank’s red hot sauce (more to taste)
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
1/4 cup sliced scallions
Toppings: extra drops of red hot sauce
Place a large soup pot over medium heat with olive oil. When hot, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Saute, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, smoked paprika and cook for another minute, stirring frequently.
Add the vegetable broth, cauliflower, and potatoes. Increase heat to medium high to bring to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, reduce heat to medium low. Simmer, covered, until the potatoes and cauliflower are tender, about 20-25 minutes.
Remove the soup from the heat and let cool just until safe to handle. Transfer 1/2 of the soup (about 4 cups) plus 1/2 cup of raw cashews to a high-speed blender and puree. Return all of the soup to the pot, mixing the pureed soup and the chunky soup back together. Place the soup back on the burner (low heat). Stir in the red hot sauce. Return to a simmer and stir in the parsley. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired. Ladle into bowls, serve with red hot sauce.